Prime Minister Naoto Kan held the 17th meeting of the Emergency Disaster Response Headquarters at the Diet building.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said, "I asked the Headquarters to meet once more today, which is the 70th day from the occurrence of the earthquake. I asked you to discuss in particular what should be done to return life in the disaster-stricken regions back to normal, and to work out a direction for this.
The national government has been mobilizing its fullest power for the removal of rubbles, distribution of donations, and other activities being done through the prefectural and municipal governments, and we have been responding and conducting discussion at the national government level. Nevertheless, I believe you are all aware that many people are saying that the work has been too slow from the perspective of the people affected by the disaster, especially those who have been compelled to leave their homes, with some questioning why it is taking us so long to do certain things or what is prohibiting us from taking certain actions.
I ask you for your continued efforts to the greatest extent so that those in the evacuation centers or those affected by the disaster feel that their lives are returning back to normal in a tangible way at the earliest date possible."